Reproducer for talking-machines.



: Wbtmeooeo v I f C. E. WOODS. REPRODUCELR FOR TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1013.

1,096,661, I Patenfe'd M12, 1914.

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ctmmou woons, or nnrncnroa'r, oou-uncrrcu'r, nssrenon ro-aiimarcnu GRAPHOIHONE COMPANY, OFCBRIDGEPOBT, CONNECT or wns'rvmomm rcu'r, A 'coaroue'rrorr nnrnonucnze FOR- r'nnnruc iaacnruns.

To all whom it may concern a the following specification.

- the record takenas ,of great amplitude. struction-is that the blow which would be 1111- This invention relates to reproducers for talking machines, and while the invention in some of its phasesis applicable to the reproduction of either the vertically undulating or the laterally undulating style of; record, the greatest benefits through its use are secured in connection with the laterally undulating or iig-zag form of record groove. In many. records there are 'POIlZlODS in which the amplitude of vibration of the recorded sound greatly exceeds that of the main body of the record. So also. in some records the amplitudes ofthe vibrations of a whole reatly exceed those of other records in whlch the ampli-- tude is comparatively small. Little difli culty is experienced in reproducing the sounds represented by the undulations of minute or of the average amplitude of'vi bration, but when the stylus bar is actuated by the undulations. of greatamplitude, a sudden blow is struck upon the diaphragm, producing harsh and disagreeable reproduc-. tions, commonly referred toin the art as 'blasts, and it is one o f i'the objects of the rovide a reproducer which shall avoid the blasts or harsh and foreign noises referred to. This is accomplished inthe present invention by providing a c'onnectionbetween the stylus bar and the diaphragm which shall be sufliciently rigid and unyielding to transmitall of the smaller ormore minute vibrations from the record to the diaphragm undiminished, which connection, however, is slightly yielding in character under the influence of a sudden or harder blow which would be transmitted as the result of the stylus "of the reproduce'r being actuated by the undulations The result of this con resent invention to parted to the diaphragm by the-undulations of great amplitude is cushioned, thereby softening down the resultantfnot'e in reproduction, and avoiding the blast or harsh and foreign noise heretofore resulting from this cause. .4 Y

POSSBSSGS many materially lessening walls of the diaphragm casin the diaphragm maybe, and

.trating the invention,

for the It hasheretofore been proposed in repro-;

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented May 12, 191 4; 1 Application filed May 29, 1913. Serial No. 770,718. i

ducers for talking machines to employ a phragm of metal, such as aluminum, having annular corrugations on the central'portion of.the diaphragm with radial corrugations extending from the annular corrugations out Such diaphragm, when made of aluminum, superior and desirable qualities, but it has practice it is liable to become buckled,.-thus the fine qualities of the reproducer.

A further-object, therefore, of the present invention isto provide means whereby the buckling of such diaphragm may be avoided and'its fine qualities preserved. I

In its preferred form, therefore, the invention consists of a metallic diaphragm,

6o toward the-periphery of the diaphragm-,

been found that in actual preferably of aluminum, having an axial opening of some considerable extent, preferably from three-eighths to one-half inch in diameter, surrounding which opening there is a plurality of annular corrugations on the central portion of the diaphragm with radial corrugations extending from the annular corrugations outward towardthe periphery of the diaphragm. Secured over the axial opening is a cork disk which is much thicker.

than the diaphragm itself and ofa diameter approximating that of theouter annular corrugation, the cork disk being secured to the diaphragm in any suitable way, as by cement. The end of the stylus bar: opposite the stylus proper is connected preferably to the center of this cork phragm is mounted in a suitable. box of metal between cork gaskets, the whole being heldiin place in any'suitablemanner, as. by an elastic split ring, whose outer periphery enters an undercut groove in ,the If desired, "P fer b y suitable shield or cover which be held in place'by the split disk, and the dia= protected by a likewise may ring- 1. i I

Theinventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical 'QXPI'BS; sions, one of which, for'the purpose of illus is shown inthe ac-v companying "drawings, but it isfto been:-

frame or pressly understood. that such drawings are urpose of illustration only, and

are not I esigned to define the limits of the [for this purpose.

invention, reference being had to the claims In "the drawings -Figure- 1f ifa "'perspeo tive view of the; reproducer [mounted J11 v position'on the end of a suitable "tone arm;

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view orjif'the line 22 of Fig.1; Fig, 3 is aperspectiv'e view a of the diaphragm, cork disk, and thestylus bar separated from the sound boxer-casing.

' Fig.4 is a plan View o fthe diaphragm alone. In "said drawings, 1 indicates. the d1aphrag' frame or'casing of the usual or any suitable construction, preferably of metal,

and 2 the central neck or hub thereof while 3 indicates the diaphragm, proper, and 4 the stylus bar. The diaphragm 3 s'prefer'ably ameter. "Radiating from the annular corrugations 5' outward toward the peripheryof j-the diaphragm are radial corrugations 7;

I -'Secured over the central portiono'f the diadiaphragm is mounted in, the casing l b erphragmis a disk 80f cork, which should 'be' of jfine quality {and of some considerable thickness'and preferably has a diameter 'ap proximating that of the outer annular corrugation 5. Thiscork disk is secured to the diaphragm in any suitable way, preferably by cement, and the stylus bar 4 has its inner end -9; securedv to the cork disk in any ap- 7 proved manner, and is fulcrumed at 10,10, on the diaphragm box or cas1 ng,- and carries the stylus proper 11' at'its outer end. The

tween cork gaskets 12, 12, and over the outer gasket 12 is placed a suitable cover or shield -13. The parts thus positioned are held in place by a split ring 14 having a peripheral flange which enters an-undercut groove 15- on'the inner wall of-the diaphragm casing,-

as clearly. shown in Fig, 2.. -As thus con- 7 structed, the sound box is "designed to be I ever, that it :does not yield under.the im-. rug

fra lally from said annular corrugations.

mounted inf' any suitable way upon-a proper.

su port, such-as the usual tone arm 16.

n operation, the stylus 11 rests in and is' actuated by the undulations of the record groove andis thereby caused to impart corresponding vibrationsto the diaphragm 3.

The/stylus bar, however, is not connected to the diaphragm, but to the cork disk 8. This cork disk is ofsuch a rigid character, how- .pulses of. the stylus bar,. due to the more minute undulations -(those of lesser ampli' tude) of the "record, and, thereforeimparts the vibrations corresponding to such undulations to the diaphragm undiminished.

When the stylus bar-11, however, is actuated by undulations of the record groove of great amplitude,-a sudden or harder blow is imparted to the cork disk 8, under which it yields more or less, depending on the:

amount of increase of the amplitude of viphragm. V

bration, so that the blow, due to the in-' creasedjamphtude, is cushioned'or softened and that: blast,- heretofore resulting from undulaticns oigreaft amplitude,-is avoided.

is impervious to moisture and will not deteriora'te through oxidation as the result of long exposure to the air, and it therefore preserves its superior qualities throughout been found that when the aluminum diaphragm, corrugated as described, is provided I l with a central opening of considerable extent and; the cork disk employed-in connection-therewith as the means for uniting the stylus 'bar .with the diaphragm, the

*bnckling' action heretofore experienced with such diaphragms is -eliminated, while at the same time preserving the fine this class of diaphra'gms.

While the invention has thus been described with considerable particularity, in order that the best form 'of the invention may be readily understood, the invention is not-limited tothe specific details hereinbefore set ftn'th, since changes may be made in many of the details of construction, without departing frdm the true spirit of the inven" tion as defined in the appended claims.

,Having is claimed-iss 1. In a sound box, the combination of a 'diaphragm casing, a diaphragm havin an enlarged central opening therethroug a disk of cork secured-t0 said diaphragm over said opening, and a stylus bar secured to said disk and'out of contact with the dia- 2. In a sound box,the combinat ion of a diaphra in casing, and a diaphragm having corrugations surrounding said opening, with a cork' disk secured to said diaphragmover qualities of r a long period of time. Furthermore, it has thus described my inventiomwhat a centra opening therethrOughJand annular P said corrugations andopening, and a stylus bar connected to said disk.

3-.;In a soundbox, the combination of a" d1aphragm -cas1ng,' a metallic diaphragm having a central opening, and annular cor} rugations surro'undingsaid opening, a cork disksecured to said -diaphragm over said opening and annular corrugations, and corat1ons on said dlaphragm extending 4. In a sound box, the combination of a mountedtherein, said diaphragm having an enlarged central opening, with a disk of cushioning material secured to said diadiaphragm casing and a diaphragm mount phragm over said opening, and a stylusbar to said diaphragm orer said opening and \Vitnesses:

ed therein between cork gaskets and having In testimony whereof I have signed this a central opening surrounded by annular specification in the presence of two subscribcorrugations with radial corrugations eX- ing Witnesses.

tending therefrom, with a cork disk secured CLINTON E. WOODS.

annular corrugations, and a stylus bar se- JOHN R. Pmmng, cured to said cork disk. J S. GRIFFITH. 

